This year we’ve been pretty lucky – a very mild winter, a warm enough holiday for the kids to go outside and ride their new bikes or scooters they got for Christmas. But this week winter has decided to rear it’s ugly head. The one thing I despise about winter is the time it takes me in the morning to clear my car of snow and ice, and warm the car up. Not to mention you have to get up about a half hour earlier to deal with it!
So we found all kinds of great ideas to help you get on the road and start your commute (hopefully before everyone else so you can avoid all that traffic!)
DIY Ice Melt. Use 3 part vinegar 1 part water in a spray bottle to spray your car windows every evening before a storm – this will help keep the ice from forming on them. (you can also spray it on ice after the fact if it’s a surprise storm – it will help melt the ice faster than just scraping!)
Get Your Car UNstuck. If your car is stuck in the snow you have a few options to get out pretty easily – always keep some cat litter handy (even keep some in your car) and pour nder the tires to help get traction. You can also use your cars floor mats, cardboard, old carpet remnants or of course salt.
Ziplock Your Side Mirrors. You don’t have to worry about your freezing side mirrors again – use a freezer size Ziploc bag and zip it around the mirrors so they stay ice free!!
Use Socks to Cover Your Wipers. Lift your windshield wipers and cover them with socks – this will help them from freezing, and will be ready to use when you are ready to leave.
Have Your Car Serviced for the Winter. During winter, you need an oil that can handle low temperatures and get to the engine parts on those cold mornings fast. In addition to the ‘winterized’ oil, they will also make sure to top off your other liquids such as your windshield wiper fluid, which will include de-icer.
Vicks Vapor Rub Your Locks. Put just a little vapor rub on the frozen locks to unfreeze them!
Fog Proof Your Windshield with Shaving Cream. Rubbing shaving cream on the inside of your window and then wiping them off will give you the same results as commercial defoggers – it leaves a layer on the window to keep the fog away.
Keep Your Door from Freezing with Cooking Spray. Spraying cooking spray in the cracks of your doors and on the rubber around your doors will prevent them from freezing shut. The water that melts during the day runs between the cracks and normally freezes but the cooking spray will keep the water from collecting and freezing your doors shut.
They have some amazing gift products (jewelry, pottery, knitting, and even some really awesome handmade leather-bound journals) but other great products like homemade soaps, lotions, bath bombs and of course bakery items. They even have a café where they sell food all made with the local produce in the area. Everything made local, is also made with other local products, so its a win/win. (I really wish Cincy would follow in these footsteps!)
Another one of our favorite places was 
Another favorite place (where my daughter talked me into a Christmas present!) was 
Heat about 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add pork chops (I do about 4 or 5 at a time) and cook until gold brown and the center reaches about 150 degrees (which is about 5 to 6 minutes.
